Tennis: Day One of Martha Thorn Invitational
September 06, 2009 09:31 PM | General
September 6, 2009
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The West Virginia University women’s tennis team finished day one of the Martha Thorn Invitational at the WVU Tennis Courts.
Due to inclement weather, numerous matches were canceled and will be completed tomorrow, beginning with doubles action at 8 a.m. and singles play at 9 a.m.
The Mountaineers finished the day with a good showing in the singles competition and had two doubles teams advance to the finals.
“I am refreshingly pleased with No. 1 and No. 2 singles players,” says head coach Marc Walters. “It’s the first bit of action they’ve seen in some time and they both really impressed me.”
In singles action, redshirt junior Monique Burton, who played at No. 1, and freshman Emily Mathis, who played at No. 2, dominated their competition and moved on to the finals at their respective positions.
Moving on in the flight ‘B’ draw of the singles competition was sophomore Kathryn Haught, who defeated Youngstown State’s Tanisha Welch in a 5-7, 7-5 (10-8) match. After losing her first set in the semifinals, she was up 5-4 in the second set before her match was stopped due to rain.
In doubles competition, the Mountaineers’ flight ‘A’ No. 1 team of Stephanie LaFortune and Monique Burton crushed Morehead State 8-0, then pushed on to the finals with an 8-6 win over Duquesne.
After receiving a first-round bye, flight ‘B’ doubles team Veronica Cardenas and Emily Mathis won 8-1 in the semifinals over Youngstown State’s Anna Volkova and Welch. Both doubles teams will be facing players from Duquesne in tomorrow’s finals.
The Martha Thorn Invitational will continue tomorrow at 8:00 a.m., at the WVU Tennis Courts located behind the WVU Coliseum.
